Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award

The Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award is given annually by USA Hockey to an outstanding American-born female ice hockey player. It was first presented in 1994.[1]

Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award
SportIce hockey
Awarded forOutstanding American women’s ice hockey player.
History
First award1994
First winnerErin Whitten-Hamlen
Most winsMultiple (2)
Most recentLaila Edwards

History

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In 2007, the name of the award was changed to honor the late Bob Allen, who was president of the New York State Amateur Hockey Association from 1954 to 1979 and served in high-ranking positions at USA Hockey from 1974 to 1999, including chairman of the women's national team for its gold medal victory at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Considered the godfather of American women's hockey, he played a major role in the development of girls' and women's hockey in the United States.[2][3]

Award winners

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Angela Ruggiero was the first defenseman to win the award, and the first player to win in consecutive years.
 
Hilary Knight's two wins came eight years apart, in 2014 and 2022. As of 2024, she is one of six University of Wisconsin alumni to win the award.[4][5]
 
Goaltender Aerin Frankel won the award in 2021.
Year Winner Position Hometown
1994 Erin Whitten-Hamlen Goaltender Glens Falls, New York
1995 Karyn Bye Forward River Falls, Wisconsin
1996 Cammi Granato Forward Downers Grove, Illinois
1997 Laurie Baker Forward Concord, Massachusetts
1998 Karyn Bye Forward River Falls, Wisconsin
1999 A.J. Mleczko Forward Nantucket, Massachusetts
2000 Sara DeCosta-Hayes Goaltender Warwick, Rhode Island
2001 Krissy Wendell Forward Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
2002 Sara DeCosta-Hayes Goaltender Warwick, Rhode Island
2003 Angela Ruggiero Defenseman Harper Woods, Michigan
2004 Angela Ruggiero Defenseman Harper Woods, Michigan
2005 Natalie Darwitz Forward Eagan, Minnesota
2006 Katie King Forward Brookline, Massachusetts
2007 Julie Chu Forward Fairfield, Connecticut
2008 Caitlin Cahow Defenseman Branford, Connecticut
2009 Jessie Vetter Goaltender Cottage Grove, Wisconsin
2010 Jenny Potter Forward Anoka, Minnesota
2011 Meghan Duggan Forward Danvers, Massachusetts
2012 Kelli Stack Forward Brooklyn Heights, Ohio
2013 Amanda Kessel Forward Madison, Wisconsin
2014 Hilary Knight Forward Sun Valley, Idaho
2015 Brianna Decker Forward Dousman, Wisconsin
2016 Monique Lamoureux-Morando Defenseman Grand Forks, North Dakota
2017 Brianna Decker Forward Dousman, Wisconsin
2018 Maddie Rooney Goaltender Andover, Minnesota
2019 Kendall Coyne Schofield Forward Palos Heights, Illinois
2020 Abby Roque Forward Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
2021 Aerin Frankel Goaltender Chappaqua, New York
2022 Hilary Knight Forward Sun Valley, Idaho
2023 Caroline Harvey Defenseman Salem, New Hampshire
2024 Laila Edwards Forward Cleveland, Ohio
Source: USA Hockey[6]

Winners by position

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Position Winners
Forward 20
Defenseman 5
Goaltender 6

Winners by state

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State Winners
  Wisconsin 6
  Massachusetts 4
  Minnesota 4
  Michigan 3
  Connecticut 2
  Idaho 2
  Illinois 2
  New York 2
  Ohio 2
  Rhode Island 2
  New Hampshire 1
  North Dakota 1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Annual Awards". USA Hockey. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "Bob Allen - Class of 2013". New York State Amateur Hockey Association. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  3. ^ O'Brien, Parker (August 12, 2024). "Bob Allen award winner aims to inspire others". Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  4. ^ Stewart, Mark (May 29, 2024). "Wisconsin's Laila Edwards caps a breakout season with USA Hockey's player of the year award". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "Roque named USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year". The Sault News. June 4, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year". USA Hockey. Retrieved May 29, 2024.